The Price Paid
by Sora Blade707
Summary: When they were teens, Yuri had contracted a life threatening illness. To save his life, Flynn made a pact with the faeries. Full summary inside, Yuri x Flynn, post-game
1. Prologue

**Title:** The Price Paid (Prologue/?)  
**Series:** Tales of Vesperia  
**Rating:** T  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Tales of Vesperia. I do own any and all OCs, as well as plot.  
**Warnings:** Boy love, language, violence, post-game  
**Characters:** Yuri, Flynn, entire Vesperia cast?  
**Pairings:** Yuri x Flynn, I dunno about others.  
**Summary: **When they were young teens, Yuri had contracted a life-threatening disease. To save him, Flynn made a deal with the fae, but there was a price. If he could not win Yuri's heart by midnight on his 23rd birthday, Flynn would be taken to the faerie realm.

* * *

Know what it is to be a child,

It is to believe in love,

To believe in lovliness,

To believe in belief.

-To Be a Child, Frances Thompson

The night was cold, and the sky was clear of clouds. The winter constellations looked coldly down upon the world. The swollen moon's light blanketed the people, but offered no warmth or comfort as its counterpart did. Regardless, its light was enough to illuminate a single boy's path as he fled, away from an inn in the Lower Quarter of the Imperial Capital. His blond locks were pale in the blue-silver light, those sapphire eyes wild from desperation. He continued his mad dash until he was just outside the blastia barrier encircling Zaphias.

Glancing around, he sighed in relief when he saw that there were no bloodthirsty monsters nearby. He searched the area, eventually finding a sturdy stick strong enough to scratch the hard ground. Carefully, he drew a large circle, and then filled it with strange runes. When it was finished, the boy made another search, eventually finding a sharp stone. He cut his finger with the stone, hissing at the sting, and held it above the circle. The blood welled up and fell, a droplet splashing onto the mysterious markings. With a sigh, the boy whispered softly in a different language.

The circle glowed a soft green light, but the boy ignored it. He continued speaking in that soft whisper, the light gaining in intensity the longer he spoke. When he stopped, the light continued to grow as a wind suddenly started to kick up. The boy squeezed his eyes shut, and raised his arms to block the dirt from blowing into his eyes as the wind got stronger. After a moment, it died down, and everything was unnaturally silent.

"_Why have you called me, child?_" a soft voice asked, immediately drawing his attention. There, standing inside the circle, was a man dressed in such finery that nobles would have appeared as little more than 'dirty commoners.' The deep red robes, the gold and jewels that twinkled dully in the low light, all added to the regality of his image, but it was the crown upon his brow that allowed the boy to identify the man's station. The delicate, coppery wings fanning out from the being's back told him what species he had just conjured. He looked up to meet blank hazel eyes set in an angular face framed by chestnut hair.

"Please," the boy pleaded, "Please heal my friend!"

He watched the faerie noble, but he (the faerie) made no move to do anything. Yet despite his desperation, the boy said nothing as he waited for the fae man to make his decision. Those hazel eyes flickered, and his sigh was like a whispering breeze. The boy waited, praying that he would save his best friend's life.

"_There is a price, child_," the faerie finally spoke, his hazel eyes melting into a soft gaze, "_Will you be prepared to pay it?_"

The boy gulped, but steeled his nerves. He had to. It was all for Yuri. He just…he just had to do it. The boy nodded, whispering aloud his answer as well. He met the fae's eyes, prepared for the price. Yuri had to live…he just _had_ to! The man sighed once more.

"_If you cannot steal your friend's heart within ten years, the faerie folk shall steal you away. Are you prepared to pay this price?_"

"Yes," there was no hesitation in his answer. They stared at each other for a long moment, the faerie noble searching for something in the child's gaze. The boy knew with certainty that he would never be able to fulfill the price, but he would be happy with the knowledge that Yuri would live. Those hazel eyes closed for a brief moment, as if in regret.

"_Very well. In exchange for the healing of Yuri Lowell, you will be granted ten years to win his love. If this is not met, we will take you, Flynn Scifo, as payment._"

After that declaration, the wind began to howl again, kicking up dust and dirt. Flynn closed his eyes, the words echoing in his head. He wondered, briefly, how the fae had known his and Yuri's names, but then he remembered his mother's stories. The faerie were the children of Mother Nature, and could easily pluck anyone's name from the wind.

_Ten years…_

His goal complete, Flynn gently began to erase the circle, smoothing over the lines he had carved into the ground. When he was done, he sprinted back inside the barrier, back to the Lower Quarter. He had to see with his own eyes that Yuri would live. Flynn nearly slammed open the door to the inn he and Yuri resided at in his haste. He only took a moment to catch his breath before running up the stairs to their room.

Upon opening the door, his eyes immediately fell on the boy in the bed. Long, dark hair fanned out on the pillow, and those equally dark eyes were closed in sleep. His pale complexion stood out, but it wasn't as bad as it had been before Flynn left. The disease had come upon Yuri so fast and so hard, it was a miracle that he had survived more than a week. Flynn dashed to the bedside, on his knees as he took a cold hand in both of his. He felt tears prickle his eyes, remembering the Yuri before his deal, the Yuri that had looked like a ghost. Finally, the other boy was starting to get better.

_I only have ten years to live…_

"Flynn…what did you do?" The somber voice of the lady innkeeper reminded him that he was not alone. Flynn looked behind him, meeting the concerned expressions of Rosie and Hanks. He gazed at them in exhaustion, but there was no regret in his eyes. They had seen him run out, and then come back in as soon as Yuri started showing improvement. He wasn't surprised that they had asked him, especially since they had known Máthair*….

"I did what I had to. The rest is up to Yuri," he replied, fully aware that his last statement had a double meaning. It would be up to the other boy to fully recover, but it would also be in his power to save Flynn's mortal life. He turned back to Yuri, resting his forehead against their clasped hands, almost as if in prayer.

_Ten years…it will be enough._

* * *

*Máthair (MAW-her): Old Irish term for mother


	2. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Price Paid (1/?)  
**Series:** Tales of Vesperia  
**Rating:** T  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Tales of Vesperia. I do own any and all OCs, as well as plot.  
**Warnings:** Boy love, language, violence, post-game  
**Characters:** Yuri, Flynn, entire Vesperia cast?  
**Pairings:** Yuri x Flynn, I dunno about others.  
**Summary:** When they were young teens, Yuri had contracted a life-threatening disease. To save him, Flynn made a deal with the fae, but there was a price. If he could not win Yuri's heart by midnight on his 23rd birthday, Flynn would be taken to the faerie realm.

* * *

_Come away O human child_

-William Butler Yeats, The Stolen Child

Flynn sighed as he finished signing yet another document. He frowned at the stack, absently wondering just how many he had signed in a year. The Commandant reached for another to read, but a knock on his door interrupted him. He yelled, bidding the person to enter. Flynn stood when none other than Ioder walked inside, gently closing the door behind him. The Emperor smiled kindly at him.

"Flynn, I'd like you to take tomorrow off," Ioder told him before he could speak. As if remembering the Commandant's work habits, he frowned, adding, "If I have to, I will make that an order."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the blond dutifully replied, shifting only slightly in discomfort. This strange request confused him, making him wonder what the reason behind the day off was. Ioder just smiled brightly, and left Flynn to resume wading through the mounds of documents on his desk.

~*~*~*

It was late at night when he finally decided to call it quits. Flynn set aside his papers, and left the office. He met no one in the corridors, which suited him just fine; no need to spread more gossip about his 'dedication to the Knights.' The man paused outside of his door, still wondering why he was allowed tomorrow off. He couldn't figure it out, but after a few moments, decided that it probably didn't matter.

Upon entering the room, Flynn was surprised to find Yuri waiting there, leaning against the wall next to his bed. He tilted his head a little as he softly shut the door. His friend said nothing, choosing to simply stare at the blond Knight. It made the Commandant uncomfortable to be under such scrutiny.

"Have any plans for your birthday tomorrow?" Flynn frowned at the question, sitting on the bed. He looked at his calender, and couldn't help but gape at the date. Had he been working so hard that he had forgotten his own birthday?

Then the significance of the day hit him. He would be 23, making it almost ten years since he summoned that faerie to heal Yuri.

It was his last day as a mortal. His last chance to 'steal Yuri's heart.'

Within those last ten years, Flynn had fallen for his best friend, something both expected and…out of the blue. Regardless, he had been extremely subtle with his affections, unwilling to jeopordize their friendship by making the other avoid him. That was the main reason why he had given up the immediate chase, but continued to love Yuri from afar.

Flynn turned his gaze from the calender to Yuri. He was going to have to make the most of it.

"Not that I can think of," he answered truthfully. Flynn smiled softly, if a touch sadly, at the dark-haired man. Yuri seemed so relaxed, but Flynn could see the subtle nervous energy in him.

"Why not come down to the Lower Quarter for a bit? So long as you don't wear anything that labels you as a Knight," Yuri suggested. The Commandant looked down, seriously considering the idea. In the end, he thought it was the most convenient excuse he had to spend his last day with the people he loved.

"Alright. I can meet you at Rosie's inn tomorrow morning." There was silence between them. Flynn took off his boots as he waited for his friend to break it. Yuri looked like he wanted to say something, but, at the last second, thought better of it. Instead, he bid Flynn good-night, and exited through the window.

Flynn couldn't help but stare at the space Yuri had occupied for a long moment. Eventually, he sighed and got ready for bed, idly wondering how much sleep he was going to get that night. It was most likely that he would get little, if any.

That night, Flynn slept the most peaceful sleep of his life.

~*~*~*

The morning found Flynn dressed in his casual clothes, gazing at his reflection with a frown. It was simple enough for people to mistaken him as middle class, but that wasn't the problem. He felt as if something was missing. After a moment, his eyes trailed over to the reflection of his nightstand. It took another minute to remember what was inside the drawer. He turned, and strode purposefully to it. Flynn opened the drawer, pulling out a simple wooden box.

Inside the box was a keepsake of his Máthair. It was a silver necklace, the chain links woven together with care. Two faeries hung from this chain. One was made of sapphire, caught in a flirtatious pose. The other was of black opal, carved as if it was watching its sapphire companion. Máthair told him that runes had been inscribed deep within the stones, too tiny to be seen with the human eye. She had also claimed that said runes would protect the wearer from the fae folk.

A small smile upturned his lips as he slipped the necklace inside his pocket.

~*~*~*

His birthday had been quite the experience. Estellise had dragged him, Yuri, and the rest of their friends (who 'happened' to be in the area) all across Zaphias. Flynn had more fun on that day than any other, and not even the looming thought of leaving it all behind could depress him. When Ioder threw a ball in celebration of his birth, all he could do was blush and thank the Emperor, surprised and flattered at the gesture.

An hour before midnight, Yuri dragged Flynn away from the party. He had told the Commandant that there was something he needed to see. That was all it took for Flynn to agree, though the thought that it was the perfect way to spend his last hour lingered in the back of his mind. They wandered the gardens for a few minutes in silence. It was a nice night; the breeze was soft and cool, the moon a sliver of silver in the sky, the perfect spring night. But none of that crossed his mind as he simply basked in Yuri's presence.

Eventually, the dark-haired man led him off in another direction. Despite his confusion, the Commandant followed his best friend loyally. They trekked across the carefully managed grass, eventually winding up at the base of a budding oak tree. Flynn was surprised at how tall it was, easily taller than any of the other oaks he had seen in his travels. He looked at Yuri, and found his friend had already started to climb up the tree. With a small sigh, the Commandant followed him.

They were about two thirds up when Yuri stopped, and casually rested on a thick branch. Flynn smiled a little as he stepped over the other man's legs to sit next to him, balancing his weight carefully. When he settled, the Commandant looked up above, watching the boughs and leaves dance in the breeze. It hid and revealed stars with each movement, an intricate and unique dance of nature.

"Watch closely, and you'll see what I wanted to show you," Yuri commented half-an-hour later, turning his body to lean against the trunk. Flynn glanced at his friend, but obediently looked back up. A minute later, the star shower began. Fascinated, he could only watch as the stars fell across the horizon, briefly illuminating the sky before fading away forever.

It was five minutes to midnight when Flynn felt it, a numb feeling starting in his chest that slowly began to branch out. It seemed that his time really was almost up. The young man looked back at Yuri, whom had his eyes closed as if in sleep. Good thing he knew better. Flynn tapped his friend's boot a couple of times to get his attention as he reached into his pocket to pull out Máthair's necklace. He smiled softly at the other man.

"I want you to keep this," he told him, causing Yuri to sit up straighter in surprise. Flynn wasted no time in slipping the silver chain around his friend's neck, the faeries falling just above his heart. Yuri stared at him, shock, confusion, and suspicion all very evident in his face. He knew how much the trinket meant to Flynn, especially since he'd witnessed Flynn wearing it constantly before that fateful night. Smiling, the blond looked away from his friend, thinking.

There was only one minute to spare when the Commandant finally plucked up the courage to do one last thing. He turned his body to face Yuri again, gazing at the slightly worried face of his oldest friend. Flynn moved until his face was mere centimeters away from Yuri's, who only widened his dark eyes. For a horrible moment, his courage nearly failed him, but the thought of the regret he would forever feel if he didn't do this one last thing spurred him on. The blond closed the distance between them, chastely kissing Yuri's lips right when the bell tolled midnight. He pulled away, feeling his body starting to disappear from the mortal realm. Flynn's smile was tragically beautiful, before he leaned in again to whisper in his friend's ear.

"I love you. Don't forget me, okay?" His voice was soft, gentle, and when he pulled away, he saw the shock. Flynn glanced down, and was greeted with the sight of his body fading into the night. He looked back into Yuri's eyes. "I don't regret the decisions I have made."

With that said, Flynn finally disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind the last proofs of his existence; a necklace, a teardrop, and a tingling sensation on Yuri's lips.


	3. Chapter 2

**Title:** The Price Paid (2/?)  
**Series:** Tales of Vesperia  
**Rating:** T  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Tales of Vesperia. I do own any and all OCs, as well as plot.  
**Warnings:** Boy love, language, violence, post-game  
**Characters:** Yuri, Flynn, entire Vesperia cast?  
**Pairings:** Yuri x Flynn, I dunno about others.  
**Summary:** When they were young teens, Yuri had contracted a life-threatening disease. To save him, Flynn made a deal with the fae, but there was a price. If he could not win Yuri's heart by midnight on his 23rd birthday, Flynn would be taken to the faerie realm.

**A/N:** Okay, guys! Sorry to spring this on you, but there is a high possibility that I'll be making a new FFN account. As such, I'll most likely delete this from this account, and then move it to my new one. Don't worry; I'll warn you when this happens, and tell you what the account name will be. :D With that, enjoy this latest chapter~!

* * *

_Neither Fall nor Winter,_

_Neither here nor there_

Yuri's brain was blank as he continued to stare at the spot where Flynn had stood. If he didn't know better, he would have said it was like his best friend had never existed, but…but he did know better. His thoughts kept jumping from one thing to another: where was Flynn? Had he meant what he said? Was this why Flynn had acted so strangely earlier? What _happened_ to him?

He gritted his teeth in frustration, his fists clenching. Eventually the dark-haired man climbed down the tree, though his questions continued circling his thoughts. Upon reaching the ground, he heard a couple voices in the distance. Frowning, Yuri walked in the direction of those voices, picking up his pace when he recognized them as Karol's and Estelle's.

"Oh, Yuri!" Estelle exclaimed when they finally crossed paths. She smiled at him, but Yuri couldn't return it. "Have you seen Flynn? Ioder wanted…to…"

She trailed off as she finally got a good look at him, frowning at whatever she saw. He just glanced away, uncertain of what to tell her. Karol looked back and forth between the two in worry, before finally settling on the dark-haired swordsman.

"Did something happen, Yuri?" The boy's question was innocent, and his tone concerned. With a sigh, the swordsman told them what had happened, though he left out the kiss and confession. He still needed to process that. The two listened to him carefully, and were silent when he finished. Yuri wouldn't blame them if they didn't believe him.

"I think we should ask the others. Maybe one of them knows something." Estelle suggested, surprising the two. Karol looked up at Yuri, who shrugged back.

"What have we got to lose?" the swordsman asked before the three walked back to the palace.

~*~*~*

Flynn glanced around the room warily. Window-paned French doors were off to his side, leading out to a huge balcony. There was a bed a few feet away from those doors large enough to hold two. There were deep blue satin curtains pulled back with a silver rope encircling it, and it was covered in sapphire blue sheets and pillows. The wardrobe was pure mahagony with a soaring phoenix inlaid on the doors. The nightstand and the bed frame were both made of the same dark wood. Sunlight filtered into the room, warming the cream-colored marble.

Despite the lavish décor, he felt uncomfortable and trapped. He knew he was in the faerie realm, but where?

The door opened, and an elf gracefully walked in. Her skin was like moonlight, her eyes the gilded and burning silver of stars, and her flowing hair was the color of the night sky. The robes she wore were midnight blue, silver delicately woven into the hem, sleeves, and collar. Around her neck was a silver band, a white opal crescent dangling from the middle. Flynn stood straight, and bowed in respect to her. She returned the gesture, most likely out of politeness only. Her angular face remained blank.

"Congratulations, Flynn Scifo, for you have the honor of being one of the candidates to become the King's bride."

~*~*~*

Yuri, his friends, and Ioder gathered in Flynn's quarters to discuss what happened. He told them the exact same story he told Estelle and Karol. Rita was stumped, and clearly bothered by that fact. Raven shrugged, unable to help in this regard. Judith, however, had a thoughtful expression. She tapped her chin and hummed a little.

"That sounds awfully familiar. Perhaps we should go to Myorzo. There might be something about Flynn's disappearance there," the Krityan shrugged calmly. Yuri nodded, as did the others. So the Krityan Library was their best shot at finding out something regarding this entire mess. Ioder sighed a little, grabbing their attention.

"Well, while you are searching for him, I will need to put someone in as a temporary Commandant," he paused to collect his thoughts, "Also…Estellise, I have a feeling that it would be best if you went with them. I can handle things here."

The Emperor smiled kindly at the pink-haired woman, who gleefully hugged him in gratitude. Yuri nodded his thanks, certain that they would need her healing Artes.

"We'll leave first thing in the morning, so get ready," Yuri told his friends before leaving. He had some thinking to do.

~*~*~*

The next morning, the group boarded the ship attached to Ba'ul in silence. Judy, Rita, and Estelle were talking to each other in low whispers. Raven and Karol were somewhere on board. Repede was with Yuri at the front of the ship, watching the horizon. His animal friend yawned, and curled up to take a nap. But frankly, the swordsman wasn't paying attention. Yuri was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't notice their arrival until Ba'ul landed. Casually, he followed his friends off of the ship, trying not to show what he was feeling.

The city hadn't changed a bit, and Yuri doubted it ever would. With only a small fragment of hope spurring them on, the group entered the city, heading toward the Elder's home. If anyone in Myorzo could help them, it would be the Elder. Judy knocked once, and opened the door for them. Inside, the old Krityan waited patiently. He smiled kindly at the group.

"Elder, we need your help." Judy explained the situation as best as she could, not leaving anything Yuri had said out. The Elder listened attentively, breaking his silence only to clarify certain details with the dark-haired swordsman. He hummed in thought.

"I suggest looking through all the books that catalog the creatures of Terca Lumireis." The Krityan gave them all a significant, though disturbed, look, "You may find something important there."

_How bad could it be?_ Yuri wondered as they thanked the Elder, leaving the building to head to the library.

~*~*~*

Flynn followed behind the elf, dread weighing down his heart. A candidate for the Faerie King's bride…it was an idea he abhorred with an intensity that it caught him by surprise. He glanced around at the marble corridor, huge windows displaying the rolling, emerald hills that lay just outside the kingdom. For all the faerie realm's natural beauty, Flynn longed for his home in Zaphias all the same.

The two stopped at a pair of grand, ebony doors. The designs on them constantly shifted form. Once, it depicted some mermaids playing in a lagoon, only to change to faerie girls dancing with the flowers. It was beautiful and mesmerizing. Flynn tore his eyes away from the scene, unwilling to lose his mind due to enchanted carvings. He heard the doors creak open, and reluctantly followed his guide into the audience chamber.

Waiting inside were 11 women, all dressed in simple, white dresses, and a man upon a throne. His hair was as gold as the summer sun, and his almond-shaped eyes were the color of obsidian. The man's robes were elegant and heavy, and Flynn wouldn't have been surprised if they were made of velvet. Dyed a deep red with golden floral designs woven gracefully along the collar, edges, and middle, the clothing was a work of art. His boots seemed to be made of deerskin, and had winding tooled around the tops. The delicate butterfly wings sprouting from his back shimmered, and glowed with colors reminiscent of a sunset. The King stood, gesturing for the elf to leave the room. She bowed, and obliged, leaving Flynn and the other women alone with the imposing being.

"Now that the twelfth candidate has arrived, let the judging begin," the faerie announced, his voice like honey and silk. Flynn felt shivers run down his spine.

He had a horrible feeling that things had taken a drastic turn for the worst.


End file.
